The fashion trend of men wearing flip-flops is starting to see a backlash, Fox News reports. The “metrosexual” era — with straight men dressing like homosexuals because women say they find gay men attractive — might finally be coming to a close.

One thing the article doesn’t cover is the issue of whether women really are attracted to feminine-looking and -acting men. My research on the matter — reading loads of Internet advice columns (favorite writer) back when I was single and trying them out in real life — revealed that sensitivity and neediness alienated women, no matter what cheesy, I-need-you “you COMPLETE me” Tom Cruise lines implied.

Women respond to challenge, confidence and a certain degree of gruffness. One of my single friends once put it, “you have to be kind of a [expletive]. I learned that real quick.” Few compliments, fewer “are you OKs?”

Which isn’t to say men should be rude or out-and-out disrespectful, just disinterested and restrained from fawning. A pedicure and sandals aren’t real conducive to that kind of attitude. Unless you’re European.

When women are honest with themselves, they agree. Here is a write-up of a poll to that effect; women said they’d prefer rough hands to a manicure on a man. Given the lies most women tell when it comes to what they find attractive (my girlfriend has long failed to reconcile the facts that [A] everything I did in the early stages of our relationship was “wrong” and [B] we’ve stayed together for three and a half years), the honesty is refreshing.

Robert VerBruggen blogs at http://robertsrationale.blogspot.com.